Harry Potter and the Reign of the Dark Lord
by Pyrate Rose
Summary: Begins right after HBP ends. Malfoy's in trouble with YouKnowWho, Harry returns to Grimmauld Place, Bill and Fleur get married, and many more surprises, INCL. RETURN OF SIRIUS BLACK!
1. Spinner's End

**CHAPTER ONE**

**Spinner's End**

The sky was an inky black and the air was icy, even though it was only the end of June. The chilling mist that had settled over everything nearly a year ago now, had intensified tenfold within the last several hours, and happiness had completely vanished, sucked from every living soul.

Spinner's End was deserted, save for a few prowling nocturnal creatures, and out of nowhere, a loud pop filled the air and a woman cloaked in black appeared on the spot. Though she was young, worry had caused deep creases to form on her face, and her long blonde hair had begun showing streaks of grey and white. There was another noise and another woman appeared out of thin air and joined her sister, who was already rushing forward towards the only house near them.

The door of this house opened at the sounds of footsteps and the owner cautiously glanced outside. With relief, for he had been expecting these women, he threw open the door more widely and ushered them inside.

"Quickly Narcissa, Bellatrix, inside." The man said in hushed tones.

"Severus, where is he? Where is my son?" The first woman, Narcissa, asked him urgently.

"He is upstairs, resting. It has been a long night for both of us."

"Is--is he--did Draco--" Narcissa was frightened to ask what was on her mind, but Snape answered her before she could find the courage to ask.

"Dumbledore is dead. Draco is safe." he said.

"Oh Severus, you are true to your word." Narcissa said, taking Snape's hands in her own and pressing them to her lips in gratitude. He pulled them away quickly and whisked the women into the dark sitting room where another man, small and with the facial features of a rat, was sitting, nervously twitching his foot. Narcissa sat in the armchair Snape had indicated to her, but Bellatrix did not take her seat. Instead, she glared with ferocious intensity at Snape, who had taken a chair next to the other man.

"Draco didn't kill Dumbledore, did he Snape?" Bellatrix asked accusingly. Narcissa gasped at her sister's question, the thought had not occurred to her.

"I took care of it." He said sharply, looking at Bellatrix with just as much loathing. "Dumbledore is dead and Draco is safe, just as I promised." Narcissa suddenly broke out into uncontrollable sobs.

"The Dark Lord knows this, Severus?" Bellatrix asked. "Does he know that it was you who completed the chore given to Draco?"

"Not as of yet, I am sure. We would know if he had found out. He has not called upon either Draco or myself." Snape said.

"And," Bellatrix continued, even though she knew the answer to the question she was about to ask. "What will become of my nephew once the Dark Lord finds out that it was you, and not Draco, who killed Dumbledore?" Narcissa's wails increased in their volume and Bellatrix sent a sinister smile in Snape's direction. Snape, however, ignored her and went to Narcissa's side.

"Perhaps the Dark Lord will show him mercy, Cissy, but we cannot get our hopes up." Snape told her grimly.


	2. Number 12, Grimmauld Place

_(A/N: I was surprised by how many reviews this had already, so here's the next chappie. This is my first ever Harry Potter fic, I started it immediately after finishing HBP this summer. I hope you enjoy it. I don't own anything.)_

**Chapter Two: **

**Number Twelve,Grimmauld Place**

Harry arrived at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, feeling as though a bag of rocks had been placed in the pit of his stomach. The train ride to London from Hogwarts had been a sullen one. No one spoke, everyone's minds back on the castle grounds and the white tomb that was Dumbledore's final resting place. The train was nearly empty. Most had left with their parents after the funeral that nearly everyone in the wizarding world had attended. Ron, Hermione and Ginny had asked their parents' permission to accompany Harry on the journey home, and the four of them took their usual compartment. In the next compartment, three members of the Order of the Phoenix sat just as quietly and sullenly. Moody slept under a travelling cloak on one bench, Lupin and Tonks spoke in hushed tones on the other. Harry's head rested on the window of the compartment the whole way to King's Cross, Ginny next to him, focused intently on writing something on a piece of parchment. Ron and Hermione sat across from them, Ron sitting up straight, looking down nervously, yet rather fondly, at Hermione who was asleep on his shoulder.

"Quickly now, Harry." Tonks said, ushering him in. Moody and Lupin backed in, holding their wands up at the ready. The door shut behind them a little too loudly and the hallway was filled with the shrieks and moans of Mrs.Black.

"FILTHY, DIRTY MUDBLOODS IN MY HOUSE!" Sirius' mother screamed in anguish. Harry sighed heavily and left his trunk where it lay.

"Harry, we need to find out if anyone has been here." Moody said, his magical eye swivelling about.

"Kreacher?" Harry said, unsure. Was the house elf back for the summer, or did he stay at Hogwarts? His question was answered with a loud crack and the appearence of the elderly house elf at Harry's feet, forcing himself into a half-bow.

"Yes _master_?" Kreacher put emphasis on the second word. Spitting it out in disgust rather than saying it. "Kreacher is here to serve the master with the dirty blood. Kreacher's mistress is not happy, oh no she is not. If Kreacher's mistress could, she would kill the Potter brat." Kreacher's words were proven with a blast of obscenities from the hallway portrait. "But Kreacher must serve his master. Oh yes, Kreacher must."

"Has anyone entered this house that shouldn't have? Snape, Bellatrix, Narcissa, Draco, anyone?"

"No master."

"Not a single soul?" Harry persisted, knowing the elf could not lie to him.

"No master."

"That will do, Harry." Moody said, giving the upstairs rooms a sweep with his eye. "It's all clear up there."

"Okay. You can go back downstairs now." Harry told Kreacher. Kreacher bowed again, letting his nose touch the wooden floor, then disappeared again.

"Remus and I will take your things up to your room, Harry." Tonks said, flicking her wand at Harry's trunk. The trunk rose into the air, floating a few feet ahead of Lupin and Tonks as they began to ascend the stairs together. Harry watched them until they disappeared from the upstairs landing. Moody's hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

"All right there, Harry?"

"Yes, I'm fine." he lied."I'm hungry." he said, deliberately changing the subject as he headed for the kitchen. Moody shook his head, but followed anyway, taking a seat at the roughly hewn table. Harry busied himself with searching the cupboards, but found nothing whatsoever.

"Sit down, Potter." Moody commanded. Harry turned to find a plate of sandwiches and a bottle of Butterbeer on the table. He sat down and picked up the sandwich, then realized he wasn't hungry after all. Instead, he took a sip of the Butterbeer.

"Will the Order come back here for headquarters?" he asked, studying the bottle in front of him.

"That's up to you, Potter. It's your house."

"I already told Dumble--" Harry caught himself and shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat. "Of course you can use it."

"I'll bring the matter up with the other members sometime soon." Moody said. "In the meantime, I'd say you have some pretty heavy issues to address, wouldn't you?" Harry glanced at him quizzically. "Like whether you'll be returning to Hogwarts or not." He said. Harry's answer was quick.

"No."

"Why not? You want to be an auror, don't you Potter?"

"Of course I do. But I have to find the other Horcruxes." Harry explained.

"There will be plenty of time to fight this war, Harry." Moody said in a softer tone that was very unlike him. "It's just one more year of school. Then you can begin training to join us against the dark lord."

"What if we don't have a year!" Harry exclaimed, slamming his fist down onto the table. "I've faced Voldemort six times already, haven't I? I've trained a group of students to do the same. One year is an eternity right now. We don't have a year. How many people will have been killed by then? Dumbledore's gone. No one is safe anymore." Harry was standing now, filled with rage and, though he'd never admit it, not even to himself; fear. What if Hogwarts wasn't even open come the fall? What would happen now that Dumbledore was gone? Harry wanted, more than anything, to destroy the last of the Horcruxes and be rid of Voldemort for good. He wanted--no--needed to fight. He needed to avenge the deaths of his mother, father, godfather and mentor. Moody had to know that, yet here he was, telling Harry that he needed to be a good boy and go back to school.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Potter, but there is your future to consider."

"How do I know I have a future? Who says I won't be dead tomorrow? Or next week? Or in five minutes?" Harry said quietly. Moody took the hint and dropped the subject, the kitchen falling silent. "I wonder where Tonks and Lupin are?" Harry finally spoke, picking at the label on the Butterbeer bottle. Moody's magic eye rolled behind him.

"They're talking in the front hall." he informed Harry, who let a faint smile cross his face. Moody jumped suddenly.

"They started snogging, didn't they?" Harry laughed.

"Is that what they call it now days?" The two shared a chuckle."Well, you should probably get some rest. It's been a long day."

"Goodnight, Moody."

"Goodnight, Potter."

_(End of chappie two. Whaddya think? It starts out slow, but for you Sirius Black fans, I have a surprise for you. And it isn't him coming back to life either...keep the reviews coming...)_


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